Flush valve mechanism



Feb. 25, 196% H. N. ACHEY FLUSH VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 7. 1966 WATERSUPPLY INVENTOR HENRY NORWOOD ACHEY ATTORNEY United States Patent 4Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flushing valve body contains a mainbore within which a piston unit operates. A piston head of this unitdivides the main bore into separated upper and lower chambers. Aflushing water storage tank communicates with the lower chamber only ofthe main bore. The piston unit also includes a main valve element whichengages the main valve seat of the valve body and a pilot valve iscarried by the piston unit and engages a seat thereon. Water enters atthe top of the main bore through a restricted passage above the pistonunit and pilot valve and a branch inlet passage in the valve bodyconveys water to said lower chamber directly opposite said storage tankand opposite a portion of the piston unit which lies between the storagetank and the mouth of the branch inlet passage.

The present invention relates to a flush valve for tankless waterclosets and the like.

In general, bathroom water closets in the home are equipped with tanksfor flushing because building codes and custom dictate the use ofrelatively small diameter water supply pipes leading to plumbingfixtures. In the home, the volume of water from the supply pipe at thefixture and the water pressure may be too low to properly operatepressure-type flush valves and consequently these valves are almostnever installed in connection with home water closets.

On the other hand, commercial buildings, including apartments, hotelsand office buildings, generally install flush valves upon their waterclosets because these buildings are constructed with relatively largediameter supply pipes leading to plumbing fixtures and there is alwaysan adequate volume of water under sufiiciently high pressure to operatethe flush valves.

There is considerable advantage in the use of a flush valve over a flushtank in connection with water closets. The flush tank is bulky andcontains a number of rather delicate parts which require frequentmaintenance. The tank tends to sweat and is quite slow in filling withconsiderable noise. The chief objection resides in the rather weakflushing power of the tank which relies on gravity pressure, in contrastto the flush valve which employs full system pressure. These advantagesand disadvantages are well known but nevertheless it has beenimpractical to employ flush valves in the home for the abovestatedreasons, including mainly the traditional useage of small diametersupply pipes, such as /2 inch pipes or smaller in contrast to the supplypipes in commercial buildings which are generally a full 1 inch indiameter.

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a flush valvewhich may be readily installed on water closets in the home and whichwill operate with complete satisfaction and efiiciency in connectionwith water supply pipes of the size customarily employed in homeplumbing.

A further important object is to provide a flush valve which operates inconjunction with a concealed storage tank for water under pressure andwhich tank discharges its water into the water closet for a completepressure flush when the valve is opened, in accordance with theoperation of the invention. The use of this concealed storage orcompression tank renders it possible to utilize the flush valve inconnection with a relatively small size water supply pipe. The inventionhas been found to Work satisfactorily with supply pipes down to as smallas A inch in diameter. It will also work satisfactorily with largersupply pipes up to a full 1 inch diameter pipe, if available.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a flush valve,the use of which will save the home owner as much as 60% on the cost ofwater pipes while at the same time providing improved flushing withoutthe danger of stoppage and with less noise and inconvenience.

Still another object is to provide a flush valve of the above-mentionedtype which employs the minimum number of moving parts and which ishighly simplified in construction and operation, rugged and durable,requiring very little maintenance, and which is positive and efiicient.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flush valve andconcealed compression tank combination which will economize on the useof water while providing a pressure flush up to one gallon per secondduring operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical section through a flush valve embodyingthe invention, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a similar section taken on line '3-3 of FIGURE 1.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a flushvalve casing having a main cylindrical bore 11. The bore 11 opensthrough the upper end of the casing 10, which end carries a flange 12for the mounting of an upper cap 13 rigidly and detachably securedthereto by suitable screw-threaded means 14. A compressible sealinggasket 15 is interposed between the cap 13 and flange 12, as indicated.

The cap 13 has a central screw-threaded opening 16 formed entirelytherethrough and the upper portion of this opening receives ascrew-threaded water inlet or supply pipe 17. This pipe 17 may be theconventional /2 inch plumbing fixture supply pipe in a home or it mayeven be a inch pipe or a larger pipe, in some instances. The lower endportion of screw-threaded opening 16- receives a screw-threaded plug 18therein having a small axial port 1 formed therethrough communicatingwith a screw driver slot 20' in the bottom of the plug, which in turncommunicates directly with an upper chamber 21 of the valve. The upperend of the plug 18 is preferably tapered at 22 to prevent blockage ofthe small port 19.

The cap 13 is further provided with a lateral branch passage 23 leadingfrom the side of the screw-threaded opening 16 and being of lesserdiameter than the opening 16. The branch passage 23 communicates with avertical branch passage 24 in the valve casing 10, outwardly of the mainbore 11, as shown in the drawings, and the lower end of passage 24 leadsback into the main bore 11 at 25 and thereby communicates directly witha lower valve chamber 26.

Opposite the passage opening 25, valve casing 10 has an integralscrew-threaded extension 27 for connection with the nipple of a storagetank 28 for flushing water under pressure. This is preferably aconcealed storage tank which may be about 5 inches in internal diameterby 5 feet in length, although the shape of the tank may be varied. Thestorage or compression tank 28 may be concealed in a Wall in anyconvenient manner. The tank could, if desired, be made as an integralchamber on the water closet and connected -with the extension or fitting27 by a pipe. Various arrangements may be used.

The lower end of valve casing 16 carries a depending tulbular section 29of somewhat reduced diameter and having its lower end screw-threaded at30 for direct connection with the inlet of the water closet bowl. Anannular shoulder 3i is formed where the section 29 connects with themain body portion of the valve casing and an annular compressiblesealing washer 32 is positioned on the shoulder 31.

A tubular piston body 33 is disposed within the main bore 11 of thecasing and has an upper annular flange 34 connected with a compressiblewasher 35 by means of an upper rigid washer 36 and screws 37. The washer35 includes radially projecting divergent annular lips 38 which havesealing engagement with the main bore 11 and effectively separate theupper and lower chambers 21 and 26. The flange 34, washer 35 and lips 38constitute the head of the piston body 33 within the main bore of thevalve casing.

Near and above the lower end of piston body 33, the same carries aradial annular flange 39 or valve head adapted to seat upon the washer32, and this structure constitutes the main valve element of theinvention which operates in the manner to 'be described for pressureflushing the water closet. Below the flange or valve head 39 and at thelower end of piston body 33, the same is provided with a plurality ofcircumferenti-ally equidistantly spaced radial guide ribs 40 which haverelatively close fitting engagement within the bore of tubular section29 so as to guide the movement of the piston body within the valvecasing. Intermediate the ribs 40, the lower end of the tubular pistonbody is preferably provided with radial discharge openings 41. This isan incidental and optional feature.

A pilot valve element or head 42 of cylindrical constnuction is adaptedto be seated upon the washer 35 and has a downwardly tapering portion 43to assure proper seating. A long depending stem 44 is carried by thepilot valve element, as shown, and which stern extends entirely throughthe piston body 33 in spaced relation to its bore. As shown, the lowerend of the stem 44 terminates near the bottom of tubular section 29 andwell below the bottom of the piston body.

A screw-threaded tubular extension or nipple 45 projects from one sideof the section 29 and receives a clamping nut 46 which in turn engages acap 47 and clamps the same firmly to a guide element 48 which abuts theend of extension 45 and preferably has screw-threaded engagement withthe cap, as indicated. A valve operating handle 49 has a flange 50within the cap 47, engaged by a compressible spring 51 which alsoengages the guide element 48 and holds the handle in the normal inactiveposition shown. The handle has a forward stem or rod 52 extendingthrough a seal 53 on the guide element 48 and this rod is adapted toengage the stem 44 and unseat pilot valve element 42 when the handle isactuated by the user against the force of spring 51. Other forms of triphandles or actuators may be employed, if preferred, in place of thearrangement shown in FIGURE 1, which is a preferred arrangement.

The operation of the flush valve is as follows:

When the handle 49 is tripped, the stem 44 is pushed elf-center and thepilot valve element 42 is unseated from washer 35 allowing water underpressure in chamber 21 to flow down through tubular piston body 33 andtubular section 29 into the closet bowl. The pressure in chamber 21 isquickly reduced and this allows the entire piston body '33 to rise inmain bore 11, thereby unseat-ing main valve element 39 from sealingwasher 32. The moment that this occurs, the water under pressure in tank28 flows downwardly around the unseatcd main valve element and throughtubular section 29 to the closet bowl where such bowl is pressureflushed effectively with substantially all of the water from thecompression tank. As the above action takes place, the rising of thepiston body 33 may carry the pilot valve element 42 into contact withthe bottom of plug 18.

Gradually, water from the supply pipe 17 passing through the small port19 fills the upper chamber 21 and creates pressure therein and returnsthe main valve element 39 to its seat 32 and the pilot valve element 42is also seated. Even though the pilot valve element 42 may be contactingthe bottom of plug 18, water can still enter the upper chamber 21through the port 19 and communieating screw driver slot 20.

As soon as the main valve element 39 returns to its seat as shown inFIGURE 1, the water flowing through branch passages 23 and 24 and intothe chamber 26 will begin to fill the compression tank 28 and willultimately completely fill this tank with water under pressure inpreparation for the next flushing cycle when the handle 49 is againtripped.

The mechanism is extremely simple and can be operated where relativelylow water pressure and volume restr-ictions are encountered. There areonly two main moving parts, namely, the piston body 33 and the pilotvalve 42, excluding the actuating handle. The valve requires very littlemaintenance and will function satisfactorily for many years.

In some instances dictated by the location of the water supply pipe, theinlet opening 16 may be located on the side of the valve casingsubstantially in line with the opening 25 in FIGURE 1. In such case, theplug 18 may be located in the passage '24 with a side opening above theplug leading into the chamber 21. In this case, the cap 13 may be aplain fiat cover cap for the valve. The operation remains exactly thesame as abovedescribed.

As previously pointed out, the invention may be considered as acompromise between the conventional flush tank arrangement and apressure flush valve arrangement requiring a large inlet or supply pipe.The present invention retains the major advantages of both systems andalso eliminates the major disadvantages of both. That is to say, smallsize supply pipes can be successfully used without the necessity for theinconvenient and ineificient flush tank and the concealed compressiontank enables the valve to perform its intended function efiiciently,notwithstanding the rather restricted supply.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scopeof the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A pressure flushing mechanism for commodes and the like comprising anupstanding valve casing having a main substantially vertical bore, aninternal shoulder on said casing forming a main valve seat at the lowerend of the bore, a flushing water outlet tubular extension on the lowerend of the casing below said main seat adapted for connection with acommode to be flushed, a water inlet passage means on the upper end ofthe casing for delivering water to the mechanism, a branch passage forwater formed in said casing and leading from the inlet passage meansaround one side of the main bore and opening radially and horizontallyinto the main bore near and above the main seat, a flushing waterstorage tank for water under pressure connected radially andhorizontally into the casing and said main bore substantiallydiametrically opposite the opening of said branch passage into the mainbore, a piston body in the main bore and being movable verticallytherein and including an intermediate tubular section of smallerdiameter than the main bore interposed directly between the radialopening into said tank from the main bore and the radial opening fromthe branch passage into the main bore, whereby water entering the mainbore from the branch passage will impinge upon said intermediate tubularsection, an upper piston head on said intermediate tubular sectionhaving fluid sealing contact with the main bore and dividing the mainbore into upper and lower separated chambers, said lower chamber onlybeing in direct communication with said tank and branch passage belowsaid piston head, means forming a pilot valve seat on the top of thepiston head surrounding the bore of the intermediate tubular section,the bore of the intermediate tubular section extending through the lowerend of the piston body, a main annular valve element on the piston bodynear and above its lower end engageable with the main seat when thepiston body is lowered within the main bore, a pilot valve elementloosely mounted upon the piston body including an ouuper end headengageable with said pilot valve seat and a depending stem extendingentirely through the bore of the intermediate tubular section and pistonbody and below the lower end of the piston body and into said flushingwater extension, and a manually operated means on said outlet extensionincluding a part engageable with the pilot valve stem for unseating thepilot valve, there being a restricted water port between said inletpassage means and said upper chamber.

2. A pressure flushing mechanism as defined by claim 1, and guide meanson the lower end of said piston body for guiding the piston body withinthe bore of the outlet tubular extension.

3. A pressure flushing mechanism as defined by claim 1, and wherein saidrestricted water port is formed within a plug element which projectscentrally into the top portion of the upper chamber and said plugelement has a recess in its lower end disposed between the restrictedport and upper chamber.

4. A pressure flushing mechanism as defined by claim 3, and a capremovably mounted on the top of said valve casing and covering the topof the main bore and said upper chamber and containing the water inletpassage means and said plug element having said restricted port andrecess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 862,867 8/ 1907 Eggleston. 1,501,331 7/ 1924 Gulick 137245 1,598,743 9/ 1926 Paul 426 1,965,328 7/1934Wright 251- 2,046,004 6/1936 Sloan 25140 2,136,221 11/1938 Sloan 251-402,918,680 12/ 1959 [Langdon 25 140 FOREIGN PATENTS 658,528 2/1963Canada.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 251-40

